Newsletter: week of 4/21

Hello from the air again. This time, I am en route back to NYC from Austin, TX, where I attended an event I can't say much about yet.

I travel alone a lot, and I genuinely love it. This is not to say I don't love traveling with others, but the freedom and independence I feel when jetting through an airport with a pair of ANC headphones in and good music playing are unmatched (I think that Tift Merritt's "Traveling Alone" sums up the feeling pretty well). However, traveling alone also brings long periods of solitude in which my mind begins to wander.

If all goes well, I will start my big bike ride in less than a week. And while I have been excited and confident for the last six months, recently, while staring out airplane windows, I have caught myself second-guessing this decision and questioning everything. Just this morning, I thought, what if the trailer falls apart? What if my legs aren't strong enough? What if I'm not as mentally tough as I thought? What if the sun doesn't shine?!

The creator in me knows that all of the above will make for a great story, but the little girl from Rochester, NY, is starting to wonder if she bit off more than she can chew. I keep reminding myself, though, that this ride is about being outside, embracing life and the challenges that come with it, and most importantly, enjoying the process, not the results.

With that, a little housekeeping—I have no idea what next week will hold regarding cell service, so there may or may not be a newsletter. My hope is to update all you Patreon folks about how the trip is going every few days, instead of doing a newsletter, but we will see what happens!

And with that, everything I read, watched, and listened to this week.

The route!

What I read:

Slate Auto Unveils Refreshingly Simple And Small Two-Seat Electric Truck Designed To Be Customized, Starting Under $27,500
A Lego car? With a great website? Want.

A very good ad campaign by BackMarket
As someone who is endlessly making photo comparison content, this one hit hard.

Inside the Democrats’ Struggle to Win Over Creators
I do not envy the creator/ journalist / political commentator space. Mixing creator entrepreneurship with the murky waters surrounding access to political events and the lack of an official label, such as "journalist" seems like hell.

What I watched:

michelgalibois' pinhole camera project
I really want to do this! Anyone tried it? Have any advice for me?

Lorde - What Was That
No, really, what was that (shot on)? It's giving an action camera? iPhone? iPhone from 2010?

Swapping smart devices for analog changed my life
Downgrade everything!

BASQUIAT's work ethic
This video reappears in my feed every few months or so, and I always rewatch it. The music, found footage, and writing are just great. Not to mention, it always inspires me.

FPV sequence by justinsmash
Are you KIDDING me??

What I listened to:

Pete Buttigieg on FLAGRANT
I have never tuned into FLAGRANT, nor do I align with Andrew Schulz's politics, but I love Pete Buttigieg. I especially enjoyed hearing his about how he came out while he was also running for mayor.

George Houston, more George Houston, and even MORE George Houston
Why he is not more popular is beyond me.

Mary - Big Thief

Dirt - Julien Baker & TORRES

Ok, that's all I got for this week. With any luck, I will be a couple of hundred miles into my ride the next time you hear from me. Here goes nothing 🚀
-becca